Study: Men with beards may be healthier

Beards are certainly a fashion statement, but according to a study out of Australia, they may be so much more than that, The Daily Mail reports.

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland found that the facial covering beards and mustaches provide serves to protect the face from the sun and the skin from aging, thanks to 30 percent less exposure to harmful UV rays.

Beards may also trap allergens that cause asthma attacks, protect the bearded masses from catching colds and help keep skin from drying out, according to the report.